2.2   In general, a Disabled Person, for the purposes of the Act, is defined as someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has substantial long-term effect on her/his ability to carry out normal day to day activities.
2.3   Directors/Heads of Service shall, in consultation with the Head of Personnel consider what reasonable action, including alternative employment, support to the employee, alterations to the work environment, may be taken to assist employees in these circumstances.
3.       NOTIFICATION/CERTIFICATION OF SICKNESS ABSENCE
3.1  For each occasion of sickness absence employees must fulfil the notification and certification requirements contained in the appropriate Scheme of Conditions of Service and any related local arrangements including the provision of relevant information e.g. Medical Certificates and Self Certification Forms to the appropriate officer. Where an employee fails to comply with these requirements, entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay or occupational sickness allowance for all or part of the absence may be lost and disciplinary action may also result.
3.2   Directors and Heads of Service shall ensure that all employees are made aware of these notification and certification requirements. In particular new employees shall be fully informed of these requirements as part of their induction training.
4.      MAINTAINING CONTACT WITH ABSENT EMPLOYEES
4.1   As part of good management practice, contact should be maintained with employees on sickness absence. Such contact is considered to be particularly important in cases of long-term sickness absence as this will enable management decisions to be taken on the basis of up-to-date information and with the interests of the employee as well as the service in mind.
4.2   It is considered essential that maintaining contact with employees on sickness absence is handled sensitively and with due consideration for the nature of the employee's illness. In this regard contact by telephone and/or letter will be appropriate in many cases. In some cases, it will be desirable to meet the employee and this should be at a mutually agreed and suitable location. Home visits should normally be undertaken by at least one officer known to the employee, in conjunction with a representative of the Personnel Division. The employee may be accompanied at such meetings by a person of their choice.
5.      RETURN TO WORK MEETINGS
5.1     As part of the general procedures for managing sickness absence, employees should be seen by their Line Manager or other appropriate officer on their return to work following each occasion of absence. In general return to work meetings should be used to :-
         a)      clarify the cause of absence;
         b)   confirm the line manager's role and welfare of employees under his/her supervision;
         c)     discuss, where appropriate, the general attendance record of the employee; and reinforce the Council's view of the importance of good attendance.
5.2  The meeting, where appropriate, should be used to allow consideration of any particular difficulties or concerns the employee may have relating to his/her return to work